Bolsover District Council has announced that their award winning Arts Development Officer Carole Hirst has decided to take early retirement and will be leaving her post in March.

However, Carole will be taking a well earned holiday and will finish work on 20th January, although it was also confirmed that she will be maintaining her links with existing long term Council led projects such as the Bolsover Brass Summer School and Bolsover Festival of Brass.

Links maintained

Carole confirmed to 4BR that she will work with Junction Arts, the successful Chesterfield based arts charity that currently delivers community arts throughout Bolsover District and more recently throughout the East Midlands.

Junction Arts is regularly funded by Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) in addition to funding it receives from Bolsover District Council and Derbyshire County Council.

Delivering brass band music making

Carole, who has been an advisor to the board of governors since 1995, will work with Junction Arts to deliver the Bolsover Brass Summer School and Bolsover Festival of Brass to ensure that the events remain at the forefront of brass music making in the region.

More recently she set up strategic partnerships with Junction Arts to strengthen collaborative working relationships. These ensure all projects undertaken by Bolsover District Council have the widest possible input and bring a wider range of arts to the projects that are delivered.

Bolsover entries and applications

Bands wishing to enter Bolsover Festival of Brass or Bolsover Brass Summer School should in the short term contact Carole directly on the e-mail address below for the relevant entry and application forms. A bespoke website is also being created.

Bolsover has been at the forefront of promoting brass banding, and I'm delighted to be still involved in two outstanding eventsCarole Hirst

Strengthen links

Carole told 4BR: "The entries are already streaming in for the Bolsover Festival of Brass and we are confident the festival will once again be full to capacity. I would suggest bands should get in contact as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Bolsover has been at the forefront of promoting brass banding, and I'm delighted to be still involved in two outstanding events. I will however now look to strengthen existing links as well as develop new partnerships with bands to help them with arts and heritage projects — so I think I may be kept busy."

Contact:

To contact Carole:
E-mail: carolejcrompton@btinternet.com
Telephone: 07903 377066